​Pearl Harbor is often compared to the Darwin attack but the similarities are very few.

​Although both were surprise initial raids on an enemy of the Japanese Empire, the destruction caused in each raid was disproportionate in the extreme.

Some people say Darwin was “bigger” than the Pearl Harbor strike. The chairwoman of the Northern Territory's Centenary of Federation committee in 2001, Carole Miller, said: “'It was bigger than Pearl Harbour...and it's time the nation knew about this."[1]

Many say: “More bombs fell on Darwin”, a phrase now common in much of the publicity surrounding the commemoration of the first raids.[2] True enough but it is just used to be sensationalist if used without the correlation that the tonnage of bombs which fell on Pearl Harbor was greater: the Japanese were using smaller bombs in the Darwin raid. It’s a bit like saying the Darwin assaults were more significant than the Nagasaki raid because that attack on Japan only used one bomb.

The following tables shows the statistics of the two raids.

Explosive Ordnance tonnage – Pearl Harbor v Port Darwin

Pearl Harbor - First Wave

Aircraft

Number launched

Aborts

Total attacking

Ordnance load

Ordnance released

Tonnage (kgs)

B5N2 Kates

50 *

1

49

One x 800kg bomb

49 x 800kg bombs

39,200kg

D3A1 Vals

54

3

51

One x 250kg bomb

51 x 250kg bombs

12,750kg

A6M2 Zeroes

45

2

43

Nil

Nil

Nil

Totals

149

4

100

100 bombs

100 bombs

51,950kg

* - A further 40 Kates were each armed with one 800kg Mk 91 Aerial torpedo, totaling 32,000kg

Pearl Harbor - Second Wave

Aircraft

Number launched

Aborts

Total attacking

Ordnance load

Ordnance released

Tonnage (kgs)

B5N2 Kates

27

Nil

27

Two x 250kg bombs

54 x 250kg bombs

13,500kg

B5N2 Kates

27

Nil

27

One x 250kg bombssix x 60kg bombs

54 x 250kg bombs162 x 60kg bombs

6,750kg

9,720kg

D3A1 Vals

81

3

78

One x 250kg bomb

78 x 250kg bombs

19,500kg

A6M2 Zekes

36

1

35

Nil

Nil

Nil

Totals

171

4

167

321 bombs

49,470kg

Pearl Harbor Total

Weapons

Number launched

Tonnage (kgs)

Bombs

421

101,420

Torpedoes

40 x 800kg

32,000

Total

461

133,420

Port Darwin - Carrier strike

Aircraft

Number launched

Aborts

Total attacking

Ordnance load

Ordnance released

Tonnage (kgs)

B5N2 Kates

81

Nil

81

One x 800kg bomb

81 x 800kg bombs

64,800kg

D3A1 Vals

71

Nil

71 - one lost after release, MN3304

One x 250kg bomb

69 (2 x hang-ups - Vals returned with bombs)

17,250kg

A6M2 Zekes

36

Nil

36

Nil

Nil

Nil

Totals

188

Nil

188

152 bombs

150 bombs

82,050kg

Port Darwin - Land-based trike

Aircraft

Number launched

Aborts

Total attacking

Ordnance load

Ordnance released

Tonnage (kgs)

G4M1 Bettys

27

Nil

27

212 x 60kg and one x 250kg

212 x 60kg and one x 250kg

12,970kg

G3M2 Nells

27

Nil

27

318 x 60kg

318 x 60kg

19,080kg

Totals

54

Nil

54

531 bombs

531 bombs

32,050kg

Port Darwin Total

Weapons

Number launched

Tonnage (kgs)

Bombs

681

114,100

Total

681

114,100

Steve Bullard’s table: Wartime magazine No. 59 Winter 2012

Raid

Number of Bombers

Number of Bombs

Totat weight (kgs)

Pearl Harbor

273

457

133,560

Darwin

205

681

114,100

The comparison is also a rather disingenuous one. A torpedo strike from a Japanese bomber would do far more damage than a bomb from the same aircraft: as air group leader Fuchida discussed in conferences before the attack: “…the torpedoes below the surface would do more effective damage than bombings from the air.”[4] Torpedoes were not used at Darwin but they inflicted massive damage at the American base. To just compare the weapons by their weight is to miss this point.

Some say that more civilians were killed in the Australian raids.[5] Untrue. There were 2,388 lives lost in the Pearl Harbor raids compared to 235 killed in Darwin. It’s generally held 68 civilians were killed at Pearl; 25 were killed in Darwin.

What about the ships sunk?​It has been claimed more ships were sunk at Pearl than in Darwin.[6] Eleven ships were sunk in Darwin: nine inside the harbour. The largest warship was a destroyer, the USS Peary, with 88 of her crew killed. At Pearl all eight battleships of the US Pacific Fleet, the most important capital ship at the time, were sunk or badly damaged. The size difference between a destroyer and a battleship is immense. The comparison is similar to that of a car set beside a three-trailer truck. The firepower is commensurately similar.

Three cruisers – again, big, important ships – five destroyers, and seven other ships were also sunk or grounded. Most ships were raised and repaired, although for many wrecks this took years.

The strike at Pearl was a massive loss for American aircraft too, and that raid was far more destructive than Darwin’s. For example, 350 aircraft were destroyed or damaged whereas in the Australian assault 30 were lost.

None of this is to say that the 19 February 1942 strikes were insignificant. They were. The attacks were the first on the Australian landmass, and signaled a new and sometimes desperate stage of the war, which if Australians had not stood alongside Americans and prevailed in New Guinea, may well have seen invasion. The writer Douglas Lockwood called his 1960s book, the first published about the raids, Australia’s Pearl Harbour. It’s a good and deserved title. But the important differences should be emphasized, not minimized, to do historical justice to both of the attacks on Pearl Harbor and Darwin.

​SourcesIngman, Peter. Citing, “NavSource Naval History”, http://www.navsource.org/Naval/ijnaf.htmSmith, Carl. Pearl Harbor 1941 The day of infamy. Osprey. 2001.Stille, Mark. Tora, Tora, Tora!: Pearl Harbor 1941. Osprey. 2011.Bullard, Steve. “Were more bombs dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor?” Australian War Memorial. Wartime magazine No. 59 Winter 2012.Kawano, Capt. Teruaki. The Japanese Navy’s air raid against Australia during the World War 2. Extracts of the Japanese Kodochosho. 1997.

​One hundred years ago the Great War was over, but one Territory solider was about to face one of the biggest battles of his life.

​His name was Vernon Lionel Marsh.

Vernon Lionel Marsh was born in Darwin on 7 April 1900 to Cecil Henry Marsh and Belle (nee Kelsey). Vernon’s grandfather, John George Kelsey, was an early Clerk of the Palmerston District Council and Kelsey Crescent and Kelsey Place in Millner are named in his grandfather’s honour.In 1995, Kelsey Place was renamed to Belle Place, after Vernon’s mother following a petition from residents citing confusion between the two streets. Belle was a pioneer of early Palmerston and one of the first women to in the Territory to vote.

Vernon attended Darwin Public School and was a member of the Darwin Cable Guard. He followed his brother Keith who had enlisted in late 1916 and enlisted in Adelaide five days after his 18th birthday, with his parents' permission, citing his date of birth as 7 April 1900.

He was assigned to the 6th General Service Reinforcements and after undertaking basic training, his unit embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A36 Boonah on 22 October 1918. The HMAT Boonah was the last Australian troop ship to leave Australia for the war in Europe.

Carrying over 900 troops, the Boonah arrived in Durban, South Africa just days after the armistice was signed. As a result, the ship was immediately prepared for the return to Australia.While tied up in Durban, local stevedores loaded supplies onto the ship and were billeted on the ship with the troops. Unbeknownst to those on the Boonah, the stevedores were infected with the Spanish Flu, or as we have known it from 2010, the H1N1 Swine Flu.

The flu was transmitted to the Australian troops and in the close quarters of the overcrowded Boonah on the trip back to Australia, the perfect environment existed for the flu to spread. Five days after the Boonah departed Durban, rough seas and cold weather ensured that the troops remained in close confinement and the first flu-like symptoms began to appear.

​The first casualty was Sergeant Arthur Charles Thwaites (serial number 21044) who jumped overboard on the night of 9 December 1918.

A later investigation by a Court of Enquiry found that he committed suicide by jumping overboard, most likely as a result of being delirious from the fever of the flu.

By the time the ship had arrived back at Fremantle on 12 December, more than 300 cases had been reported and Commonwealth immigration authorities refused to allow the soldiers to disembark, knowing of the global pandemic which was underway but which had until then spared Western Australia.

The ship anchored in Gage Roads of Fremantle and after some delays, approval was granted for nearly 300 of the sickest soldiers to be moved ashore to the Quarantine Station at Woodman Point, south of Fremantle. Three of the men died on the first day at the station and it took three days for 337 men to be brought ashore. The situation continued to deteriorate further with more dying and more than 20 nursing and medical staff becoming infected. By 20 December, Woodman Point was housing over 600 soldiers.

For those left on board the ship, conditions were believed to be deplorable. Authorities insisted on a seven-day incubation period with no new cases being cited to prove that the disease had burnt itself out. Unfortunately, new infections and deaths continued in the cramped and close living conditions, which proved to be the perfect environment for the flu to spread.

Public outrage grew against the refusal of the immigration authorities to allow all of the soldiers ashore with casualties growing each day.

"How many cases of sickness and death are required to make the authorities do a commonsense thing?".[1] "Enough of this inhuman incarceration of soldiers in the disease-stricken cubby-hole of a floating hell."[2]

Wrangling between the State Minister for Health, Sir Hal Colebatch and the federal immigration authorities continued and tensions increased to the point that the Returned Servicemen's association made threats to storm the ship to return the sick men to shore.

After nine days of acrimony, and despite breaking quarantine regulations, the ship sailed east on 20 December, presumably to defuse the situation. Another 17 cases were discovered between Albany and Adelaide and the remaining men were disembarked at Torrens Island Quarantine Station, a similar facility to Woodman Point and just north of Adelaide. No further deaths occurred and after being given the all-clear, the remaining men returned to their homes.

A total of twenty-seven soldiers and four nurses at Woodman Point died of influenza during the crisis and are buried at the Woodman Point quarantine station, later to be interred at Karrakatta Cemetery.The Spanish flu pandemic infected about 500 million people around the world between January 1918 and December 1920. In the absence of modern medicine, it is believed that between 50-100 million deaths were recorded, or around 4% of the world’s population.

For Marsh, he ended up at Woodman Point and was released having been cleared to continue his journey home. He had escaped the flu and on 9 January and was entrained at Fremantle and transported to Adelaide for discharged on 23 January 1919.

He returned to the Northern Territory, living in Tennant Creek and working as a linesman before moving to Alice Springs where he managed the Memorial Club until 1951. He married and settled back in Darwin in the 1960’s living in Fannie Bay and finally Parap.

Marsh died on 22 October 1984, exactly 66 years to the day the overcrowded “HMAT Boonah” left Adelaide, and now rests in the Darwin General Cemetery in Jingili.

Marsh’s headstone records his age in 1984 as 83 years making his actual year of birth 1901 and more importantly, making him underage at the time of enlisting. His enlistment record for WW2 also recorded his birth in 1901.

In the wake of the armistice of WW1, the Boonah incident, despite being recorded widely in the press around Australia, has gone relatively unnoticed. In 2004, Ian Darroch published the book “The Boonah tragedy” detailing the incident.

​As for the Boonah, she was sold to a German steamship company in 1925 and was taken over by the German Kreigsmarine (navy) at the outbreak of the Second World War.

​In 1940, she was torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine HMS Narwhal off the coast of Norway.

[1] The Daily News, 14 December 1918.[2] The Sunday Times editorial, 15 December 1918.

Imperishable Anzacs : a story of Australia's famous First Brigade : from the diary of Harold W. Cavill. 1916.Whilst this book is a limited edition with a leather bound cover, its uniqueness lies within.

The names listed within the pages of this book are more than likely to have participated as members of the ANZAC Memorial Band in late 1915 when this book was originally published. As one of the signatories departed Australia in December 1915 and died at Villiers Bretonneux in August 1916.

We know that Charles Mayal was the band master, and Arthur Grant was a bugler so by deduction we ascertained the others were also members of this band.

Charles Phineas Mayall is the one third from left, second row holding the cornet. Charles was a very talented cornet player and band master, and was the band master for the Sydney Harbour Bridge opening parade (from Great War forum). National Archives Anzac Memorial Band 1916. A1861. Taken by Stanley Robert Beer, Sydney.The artistic copyright on this photograph was lodged in 1916.The Great War forum gives a little more information on the Anzac Memorial Band and it participants,

William Arnold Melville, Manager, 6th AASC. Service No. 1024. Melville was born in Sydney. He joined 16/12/1914 at 38 years 8months. He was married with 3 children. Melville embarked on 21/12/1914 on board HMAT Port Macquarie as a driver. He returned to Australia SS.Kyarra 17/7/1915. Discharged 30/11/1915. He re-enlisted again 11/4/1917 embarking from Sydney 28/4/1917 and returning to Australia on SS Morinda on 27/6/1917. In 1919 Melville was on Special Service embarking on board SS Kursk returning on 29/10/1919 on board Raranga.Service Record:https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8039874Embarkation Roll:https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1788505

Charles Phineas Mayall Bandmaster RAN. Service No. 1641. Date of birth - 01 Oct 1882 : Place of birth - Waipu New Zealand : Place of enlistment - Sydney : Next of Kin - Mayall Helena.The bandmaster, Charles Phineas, was born in Waipu, New Zealand, in 1882. He served in the Royal Navy (NZ station) from 1904 to 1910, then joined the RAN in 1912. He was bandmaster of the band on HMAS Encounter, the first naval band of the RAN as well as various ships' bands after the war. In June 1915, he was discharged from the RAN by purchase, only to rejoin almost 5 years later. It was during this hiatus that he became involved in the Anzac Memorial Band.Service Record:https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4517764Embarkation Roll:https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1426775/John Henry Calthorpe, 1st Light Horse, Service No: 243. Calthorpe was born in Tenterfield and he was a pastry cook from Maitland Road, Hamilton, Newcastle, NSW. He enlisted 19/8/1914 at the age of 23 years and 11 months, he was also a Band Sergeant. He embarked for overseas on HMAT Star of Victoria from Sydney on 20/10/1914, was at Gallipoli and wounded at Gaba Tebe 12 July 1915. Returned to Australia on board HS Karoola 4/11/15.Embarkation Roll:https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1967780/Service Record:https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3191348

"MR. J. H. CALTHORPE DIES; WELL-KNOWN BUSINESS MAN"The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) 3 June 1950: 1.The death occurred in Canberra Community Hospital last night of one of Canberra's best known identities. Mr. John Henry Calthorpe, of Mugga Way, Red Hill, aged 59 years.Mr. Calthorpe, who was a director of the firm of Woodgers and Calthorpe, Ltd., was one ofthe earliest residents of the Territory. A native of Maitland, he enlisted on the outbreak of theFirst World War, his number in the First Regiment, being 153.After being seriously wounded on Gallipoli, he returned to Australia and undertook recruitingwork which brought him to this district.In 1918 he established a stock and station agency business. Two years later he joined Mr.Woodgers in the firm of Woodgers and Calthorpe.Known throughout the State as an expert on beef cattle and fat stock, Mr. Calthorpe was formany years vice-president of the Stock and Station Agents' Association, retiring from that position last Tuesday.He was a foundation member and vice-president of the Canberra Picnic Race Club, one ofthe earliest members of the Royal Canberra Golf Club, a member of the Canberra Bowling Club, and a director of the Canberra Club. He took an active interest in the Canberra ServicesClub. He was the owner of two racehorses, Prince Terry, which won the Goulburn Picnic Race Club Cup last March, and Mo chat.

Edgar George Brigden, 4th Battalion AIF. Service No. 366. Brigden was born 20 January 1873 in Wangaratta, Victoria, he was 38 years old when he joined on 20/8/1914. He embarked 20/10/1914. He received gun shot wounds to his right arm and returned to Australia on board HT Aeneas 31/10/1915. He re-enlisted No. 1021 13/5/1918 stating previous service with 12 month Headquarters Band. He served with the No. 2 District Guard till 11/9/1918. He passed away on 15/8/1953 at Yarramundi leaving wife Madge and daughter Enid.Embarkation Roll:https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1802177Service Record:https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3121682

Arthur Errington, 32nd Battalion. Service No. 91. Arthur was from Brompton, South Australia. Errington was a hairdresser when he enlisted at the age of 35 years 6 months on 19/7/1915. Errington embarked from Adelaide 28/11/1915 on board A2 Geelong. He had previously served with the 5th Imperial Bushman South African War (Boer). He returned to Australia on board Wyreema 20/7/1919. He was awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross - Australian Gazette No.53, 16 June 1921; p. 950.

Distinguished Service Cross Awarded to a person who while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguished himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing or foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his or her comrades.Embarkation Roll:https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1876999Service Record:https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3544019

Thirteen N.C.O.'s from A Company, 32nd Battalion [PRG 280/1/28/213] State Library of South Australia (Errington front row 2nd from right)

Seventy-three years ago, on the 15th August 1945, orders were issued to the US Pacific Fleet and other allied forces operating in the Pacific Region ‘to cease offensive operations against the Japanese’.

​The ‘Naval Message – News Communique 15/8/45’, presented below is a copy of the original telegraphed communication sheet that effectively ordered, and announced, the end of the Second World War.

Naval Message – News Communique, 15/8/45.

The 15th August is now commemorated as ‘Victory in the Pacific Day’. After six long and bloody years of war, it was all over. Japan had surrendered and peace had been restored – albeit for a few short years.

The war in Europe had ended on 8th May 1945 when German forces surrendered to the Allies following the fall of Berlin and the death of Adolf Hitler. The 8th May is commemorated as ‘Victory in Europe Day’ and the end of WW2, however, the war dragged on for another 3 months before Japan capitulated and the war had completely come to an end.

By war’s end, Australia’s contribution to the victories amounted to;

993,000 served

27,073 were killed in action

23477 were wounded

30,560 were taken prisoner of war

Even though the fighting was over, the pain, suffering and heartbreak for many would continue well into the future as the men and women and their loved ones tried to return to their ‘normal’ lives.

The belief that there are wartime tunnels in and around Darwin has existed in Darwin since those dark days of 1942 when terror rained from the skies on an almost daily basis and the threat of invasion seemed very real.

Over 75 years have passed now and the belief, myth and rumour that there are numerous tunnels in and around Darwin and an underground hospital at East Point remain and persist.

So, are there wartime, military-constructed tunnels in or around Darwin or is it all just a myth based on wartime rumour and gossip?

We know for certain there were tunnels dug into the escarpment in the area below the Administrator’s residence (Government House) and near the oil storage tanks situated at Stokes Hill. However, these ‘tunnels’ were designed to store the precious fuel oil required for the allied naval ships that ported in Darwin. They were not designed to house people, headquarters units, as was the case at the Battle Box, Fort Canning, Singapore, or defensive fighting units, such as the Maginot Line in France. No, they were constructed to protect the fuel oil from Japanese bombing attacks.

The myth that tunnels exist at East Point has circulated, according to one source since the wartime and was often ‘trotted out’ in the days following the war. The late Frank Geddes, OAM, came here in 1949 and heard the stories of the East Point tunnels then. When I arrived here in mid-1974 the myth was still circulating and as I knew Frank well and knew he was a local (amateur) military historian, I asked him if such tunnels existed. The answer was a catergoric NO! Other ‘old timers’ such as Capt. Neil Benton and Capt. Allan Ogden who both served in the Artillery Units at East Point post-WW2 also swore there were no tunnels at East Point – but many people were not listening.

Regardless, the myth persisted and it wasn’t until 2010 that a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey was conducted within the Darwin Military Museum (DMM), then referred to as the East Point Military Museum, in preparation for the construction of the Defence of Darwin Experience building. The complete block was surveyed with no sign of any tunnel(s) being discovered.

In 2014, a gentleman (possibly Peter Roberts) visited the DMM and asked to see the Director (me). He had a photograph (reproduced above) that he claimed was of the construction of a tunnel between Gun Emplacement 1 (GE1) and the Command Post (CP) at East Point. He them mentioned the ‘trench’ could have been part of the foundations for the ‘underground hospital’.

​He told me he had served at East Point during the war and that he clearly remembered ‘tunnels’ being built in that area. He left a copy of the photograph with us on which he, or someone had written, ‘Underground excavations for RAP (Regimental Aid Post) in jungle behind centre of East Point Battery approx. Oct/Nov ’42. Big Bill Capewell in photo – taken by Pete Roberts WX33728 – running approximately north, nor-west and situated from my memory behind 9.2 emplacements. If anything I feel behind #1’.

The photograph was shown to members of the NT Heritage Branch who decided to conduct another GPR survey in the general area behind GE1. Once again the survey failed to identify any tunnels or concrete infrastructure that resembled a structure such as a building. So, in short, the scientific evidence is that no formed tunnels exist at East Point. Although it is possible that communication trenches, such as the ‘trench’ shown in the photograph, may have been dug to allow safe human movement from the gun emplacements to the CP in times of enemy attack as there were areas identified by the GPR survey that showed signs of ground disturbance – but no concrete or block structure(s) in the vicinity.

So, how and why did the myth start? Geddes, Benton and (the late) Ogden were of the opinion the ‘rumour’ started during the war as East Point was a restricted military area where ‘secret’ things were happening (ie: construction of the gun emplacements etc) and the rumour mill was alive and well! It’s easy to imagine what was suspected of going on at East Point and perhaps some of the soldiers were having a bit of fun by spreading the rumour?

The myth may also have been perpetuated by adults and children who lived at East Point post-war referring to the entrance portals of GE1 and 2 as ‘tunnels’. This could be correct, as both emplacements had earth embankments as bomb blast protection and entrance to the emplacements would have appeared to be like a tunnel.

Alas, we’ll probably never know how, when or why the myth started but we know it is exactly that – a myth!

A drum-type depth charge, similar to the one donated to DMM being loaded onto a British warship during WW2.

In early August 2018, a friend of the Museum dropped in with a strange metal object that he thought had some military connection, although he couldn’t explain why as he did not know what the object was, or used to be used for. The Museum’s Curators took on the challenge by starting the research process, although there was a reasonably firm view as to what the items had been.

To add some broader interest to the process, visitors to the Museum were asked for their opinion as to what the object was – and there were some very interesting suggestions made! As you would have guessed, it didn’t take long for the object to be identified as a World War Two (WW2) depth charge.

The UFO (Unidentified Fearsome Object) dropped off at DMM in August 2018.

The depth charge is an anti-submarine attack weapon and is intended to destroy the targeted submarine when submerged.

​The depth charge is effective against the submarine by being dropped, or launched, into the sea and detonating at a set depth following which the submarine is subjected to powerful and destructive hydraulic shock.

Most depth charges utilise high explosive charges loaded into to the body of the device which is ignited by means of a fuse set to activate at a certain depth.

Each depth charge creates another shock wave until such time as the submarine’s hull fractures and begins to take on water. Many submarines sink outright whilst others surface with the intent of either fighting off the attackers or allowing the crew to escape before the submarine is scuttled.

Depth charges were developed and utilised in the first instance during World War One (WW1) as the first and most effective method of attacking submerged submarines. They were widely used in WW1 and WW2 being widely used by all/most combatant nations in WW2.

​They remained on ‘active service’ throughout the Cold War but as no fighting erupted, there is no record of any being deployed.

The deployment of depth charges is quite versatile given they can be dropped or launched from ships or dropped from aircraft and/or helicopters. Depth charge attack would be a submariner’s worse fear and nightmare I would imagine!

Entrance portal to Elsey Cemetery and National Reserve. Nugget’s final resting place.

Victor Claude Raymond, more commonly known as ‘Nugget’ throughout his long and interesting life, was born at Maryborough, Queensland in, or about, 1883.

​We know little of his family other than he had a brother, R.G. Raymond of Mareeba, Queensland who ‘Nugget’ nominated as his next-of-kin when he enlisted in the AIF in 1915.

‘Nugget’ arrived in the Territory in either 1900, or 1902, and worked as a stockman on several stations in the Katherine region prior to the war. He left Darwin aboard the S.S. Empire in August 1915 and travelled to Fraser’s Hill, Queensland where he enlisted on 29th July 1915. At the time he enlisted, he was 32 years and 10 months of age, single and employed as a ‘Station Manager’.

Following his enlistment, he was attached to the 9th Reinforcements, 15th Infantry Battalion, AIF and left Australia for the Great War. His military service record does not show the date or place of his embarkation, but it does record that he was taken ill with mumps, possibly en-route to the Middle East, and was hospitalised in Alexandria for a short period.

He was reported to have served at Gallipoli but his service record does not show that and given his enlistment date, date of arrival in Alexandria and period of illness, Gallipoli service is unlikely. He was transferred to France in 1916 and, given he was wounded in action on 28th August 1916, it is highly likely that he was involved in the Battle of Pozieres.

He was hospitalised as a result of his wounds (gunshot to right arm) and re-joined his Unit on 4th October 1916 after recovering.

Throughout late 1916 and early 1917, ‘Nugget’ was transferred from the front lines on three occasions due to illness or injury. One illness being ‘scabies’ while the most severe injury, other than the gunshot wound, was deafness.

His being rendered deaf resulted in him being repatriated to England on 18th June 1917, following which he was transferred to 68 Squadron, Air Force Command. He served in the Squadron as a ‘Batman’ until he returned to Australia in October 1917 and being discharged on 31st January 1918 as medically unfit (i.e.: deaf).

‘Nugget’s’ movements and whereabouts post-war are not clear, but Katherine-based NT Policeman Garry Willmett has established that the McFarlane family of Mataranka recalled ‘Nugget’ being a resident of Mataranka in the 1960s.

​They also recalled that he had lived in a hut in the township for some years, however, the hut, that stood on the site of today’s BP roadhouse, is long gone – as is ‘Nugget’ himself.

It appears ‘Nugget’ lived out the rest (or most) of his live in, and around, Mataranka before he passed away on 29th September 1968 aged 88. He was buried in the Elsey Cemetery, Mataranka with his headstone being inscribed, ‘In memory 2820 Private V.C. Raymond 15 BN, 29th September, 1968 aged 88. The Dandy Stockman – He saw the vision splendid’.

Years after his death, the NT government installed a plaque alongside his grave referring to ‘Nugget’ as the ‘Dandy Stockman’, the legendary figure mentioned by Jeannie Gunn in her book We of the Never-Never. However, the plaque also stated that some doubt existed regarding ‘Nugget’ being the ‘Dandy Stockman’.

Nugget’s headstone. His grave and the headstone are in very poor condition and require a significant amount of restoration work. Is anyone prepared to help?

The plaque alongside Nugget’s grave that refers to him as the ‘Dandy Stockman’. However, the text says there is ‘some doubt’ that Nugget was the ‘Dandy Stockman’ of We of the Never-Never fame.

Garry Willmett’s recent research has shown ‘Nugget’ was NOT the ‘Dandy Stockman’ of literary fame – but we know he was Private Victor Claude (Nugget) Raymond, formerly of the AIF. A badge of honour that should be recognised, commemorated and attract a vote of ‘thanks’ now and in future.

During WW2, over 100,000 military personnel were stationed in the NT. Life was pretty tough for them, particularly when the enemy were dropping bombs on them, and recreational activities were few and often far between.

The most common activities were swimming, shooting the odd crocodile, drinking beer (when they had some) and a day at the races when a meeting could be arranged. Although it is not clear as to where this meeting was held, it is clear it was a full card of events. One would imagine it was very well supported on the day.

The flyer/brochure was dropped into the office of the Ararat Advertiser in early 2018 but was then gifted to the Darwin Military Museum (DMM). The DMM management on donated the document to the NT Library to be secured and recorded as a part of the NT’s wartime history.It is hoped the flyer will be included in the NT government’s Territory Stories website catalogue.

​I'm pleased to introduce you to ‘Private Havachatt’ (SERN 6723, 9th Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force), who arrived at the Darwin Military Museum recently after returning from the Western Front. His task there was to deliver water to his mates serving on the front lines and to do this he dragged the water tank, alongside which he stands, from the rear echelons.

Private Havachatt and his water tank.

The tank Havachatt transported to the front was manufactured by John Furphy of Shepparton, Victoria. An experienced blacksmith and wheelwright, Furphy manufactured the tank by shrinking an iron band around the body of the tank and the end castings to produce a water-tight seal.

In the late 1800s, Furphy water tank and cart arrangements were common features in Australian towns and camps that had no reticulated water supply. Following the outbreak of the Great War hundreds of ‘Furphy tanks’ were shipped overseas by the Australian government to deliver water to the front line or rear echelon areas that lacked suitable, or adequate, water supplies. As you would imagine, the soldiers who drove the carts and delivered the water were a source of gossip and ‘news’ as they had come from the rear echelons and had heard all the news of what was going on and what was going to happen!

As the soldier moved from camp to camp to deliver the precious load, the ‘news’ he carried spread accordingly. Often some (most) of the information (news) that was delivered at the Furphy tank was wrong, hence, the term ‘that’s a Furphy’ became the common expression regarding information of doubtful truth. One can only wonder what ‘news’ Private Havachatt is delivering today?

WW1 Australian troops close to the front line having a drink of water from a Furphy tank.

John Furphy was a religious man with high ideals. He added the words ‘Good, better best – never let it rest – till your good is better – and your better best’ to the tank end plates to encourage his customers, and members of the public, to strive for the very best in everything. In 1920, his son William added the Pitman shorthand message that read, ‘Water is the gift of God, but beer is a concoction of the devil, don’t drink beer’. He later changed the wording to read, ‘Water is the gift of God, but beer and whiskey are the concoctions of the devil, so have a drink of water’.

The tanks remained popular throughout WW2, but were mounted on trucks rather than being horse-drawn.

It might surprise you to know that over severty-six years after the intital ‘event’ many Australians remain blissfully unaware that Darwin was the target of seventy-seven Japanese air raids over a period of twenty-one months. Darwin was basically undefended when the first attacking Japanese aircraft appeared in the skies above the township on 19th February 1942, although those service personnel who were in the town or on the ships in the harbour gave a good account of themselves.

The main targets on the 19th February were the harbour, the Stokes Hill wharving facilities, the township, the airfield and the RAAF Base. The map reproduced below provides a clear picture of the scale and spread of the bombing pattern, but left out of this image is East Point, where the wartime gun emplacements remain and Darwin Military Museum stands today.

Whilst East Point was not a primary target during the raids, I thought it worthwhile to provide a summary of events leading up to, and following, the raids of February ’42 so we have a mind’s eye view of wartime Darwin and developments at East Point.

1931: September, Japan invades Manchuria.

1932: Australian government approves the Darwin Emergeny Defence Scheme and the construction of two additional fuel oil tanks.1932: August-September, Personnel of Darwin Detachment, 2x6” guns arrive in Darwin aborad HMAS Canberra, Australia and Albatross.1932: 6” guns moved to East Point in preparatio of installation.

1933: Aboriginal prisoners from Fannie Bay Gaol commence work on installing the 6” guns1933: 6” guns installed by February 1933, but test/proof firing planned for June postponed1933: Darwin Garrison troops arrive under the command of Major Cyril (‘Silent Cyril’) Clowes,1933: Searchlight engine room at Dudley Point constructed

1935: Port War Signal Station tower radio ‘shack’ and engine room commenced.

1937: Plans for anti-submarine boom net submitted. It was to be the longest such net in the world at 3.1 kilometres.

1938: 6” guns test fired but all were condemned. Type BL XI (produced in 1914) were installed and successfully test fired in June.

1939: Darwin Mobile Force arrives and is accommodated in the old Vesteys’ meatworks at Bullocky Point (current site of the Darwin High School).

1939: September 3rd, Australia declares war on Germany.

1940: Work commences at East Point and West Point on anti-submarine boom net installation.

1941: Work commences on 9.2” gun emplacements at East Point (budget of £415,000).1941: 7th December, Japan attacks US Fleet at Pearl Harbour, simaltaneously attacking allied bases throughout the Pacific region. Australia decalres war on Japan.

1942: January, Imperial Japnanese submarine I-124 sunk off outside Darwin Harbour by HMAS Deloraine.1942: 19th February, Darwin attacked by 188 Japanese aircraft in two raids. All work on gun emplacements at East Point halted and all equipment moved to Berrimah and then Alice Springs.1942: 28th June, East Point attacked by Japanese aircraft. Little damage recorded.

1943: Work resumes on East Point gun emplacements with an increase in budget of £70,000.1943: November, last Japanese air raid on Darwin/NT.

1944: February, first of the two 9.2” guns arrive in Darwin. Gun test fired in April.1944: November, permanent manning of 6” and 9.2” guns around Australia officially ceased.

1945: March, second 9.2” gun test fired. All anti-aircraft and Coastal Artillery withdrawn from Darwin vicinity.1945: August, Japan surrenders. The war is over.

1946: 9.2” guns sold to Burns Philp who were acting as agents for the Japanese Fujita Salvage Company. Ships in Darwin Harbour also salvaged by the Fujita Company.

1959: 9.2” guns fired for the last time and retired from service.

1969: East Point Military Museum, incorporating the Command Post and Gun Emplacement 2, opened by Royal Australian Artillery Association NT.

2012: The name of the Museum changed to Darwin Military Museum (DMM). While the 2x9.2” guns are now long gone, the 2x6” guns remain ‘on station’ within the DMM, along with 2x3.7” anti-aircraft guns that fired in anger during the period of the raids.

So, in summary, East Point had a relatively quiet wartime experience compared to the rest of the township of Darwin. Looking at the map and the fall of the bombs, it is no wonder that the town was almost totally destroyed but, somehow, the military and the few remaining civilian residents remained strong and determined and in due course won the day.